Y9 BIOLOGY

B3 Movement in
and out of cell

3.2 Osmosis (part 2)

Starter…
 SUCCESS CRITERIA
1. Investigate osmosis using materials such
as dialysis tubing
2. Investigate and describe the effects on
plant tissues of immersing them in
solutions of different concentrations
3. Explain the effects on plant cells of
immersing them in solutions of different
concentrations
 Practical - Osmosis in Potato
1. Refer to 2 different beakers of solution prepared. The potato strips were
immersed into these solution for 3 hours

Beaker A : Concentrated salt solution (hypertonic)

Beaker B: Distilled water (hypotonic solution)

2. Check the texture of potato before immersing into solution and the
potatoes from the beakers. Describe the texture of potato before and after
immersing into the solution of different concentrations

3. Each potato strip was 35mm before immersion. Measure the length of
potato after immersion.

4. Record your observation

 Result
Before immersion After immersion

Texture Length (mm) Texture Length (mm)

Beaker
A

Beaker
B
Explain your observation (Osmosis in potato)
Explain your observation for beaker A (concentrated salt solution)

Explain your observation for beaker B (distilled water)

 Osmosis across visking tube
Visking tube is filled with 10% salt solution and left in the beaker of
distilled water for 3 hours.

Mass before immersion:___________g

Mass after immersion:____________g

Describe your result:

Explain your result:

MOVEMENT IN AND OUT OF CELLS
Osmosis and plant cells
MOVEMENT IN AND OUT OF CELLS
Osmosis and plant cells
Plant cells (potato) when place
d in...
Hypotonic solution
❑Distilled water has high water potential than cell sap
❑Water diffuse into cytoplasm and vacuole through
partially permeable membrane
❑ Cells swell and become turgid
Hypertonic solution
❑Concentrated sugar solution has low water potential than cell sap
❑Water diffuses out of cytoplasm and vacuole
❑ Cell shrinks become flaccid – plants wilt
❑ Cell membrane pulls away from cell wall (plasmolysed)
 Turgid plant cell

Water diffusing into cell makes

vacuole big.
Cell membrane pushes against cell
wall. This increases turgor pressure.
High turgor pressure: pressure
created as the cell sap inside cell
pushes against the cell wall
Keeps cell rigid and firm
Supports the plants
Cell wall prevents cell from bursting
 Osmosis and animal cells

*Red blood cell is isotonic to 0.85% sodium chloride solution

● When animal cells placed into hypotonic solution:
Water diffuses in. Cells swell and burst
● Animal cell placed into hypertonic solution:
Water diffuses out. Cells shrink and shrivel
MOVEMENT IN AND OUT OF CELLS
Osmosis and animal cells
 MOVEMENT IN AND OUT OF CELLS
Osmosis and animal cells
Osmosis - a quick recap
Can you describe and explain the picture above.

In your explanation, include what has happened and why has it

happened?
Importance of osmosis
× When water moves into a plant cell, the vacuole gets bigger, pushing the cell
membrane against the cell wall
× Water entering the cell by osmosis makes the cell rigid and firm
× This is important for plants as the effect of all the cells in a plant being firm is
to provide support and strength for the plant – making the plant stand upright
with its leaves held out to catch sunlight
× The pressure created by the cell wall stops too much water entering and prevents
the cell from bursting
× If plants do not receive enough water the cells cannot remain rigid and firm (turgid)
and the plant wilts
 Movement of water
into roots

Soil has
higher water
potential
than root hair
cells
Osmosis in plant tissue
× Plant roots are surrounded by soil water and the
cytoplasm of root cells has a lower water potential than
the soil water
× This means water will move across the cell membrane of
root hair cells into the root by osmosis
× The water moves across the root from cell to cell by
osmosis until it reaches the xylem
Once they enter the xylem they are transported away
from the root by the transpiration stream, helping to
maintain a concentration gradient between the root cells
and the xylem vessels
Osmosis in animal tissue
× Animal cells also lose and gain water as a result of osmosis
× As animal cells do not have a supporting cell wall, the results on the cell are more
severe
× If an animal cell is placed into a strong sugar solution (with a lower water potential
than the cell), it will lose water by osmosis and become crenated (shrivelled up)
× If an animal cell is placed into distilled water (with a higher water potential than
the cell), it will gain water by osmosis and, as it has no cell wall to create turgor
pressure, will continue to do so until the cell membrane is stretched too far and it
bursts
MOVEMENT IN AND OUT OF CELLS
SUMMARY QUESTIONS
1. Animal cell can burst in hypotonic solution. Explain why this is not true
for plant cell

2. Explain what is meant by plasmolysis